War vessel.



USMS? c. DAVIS.

vWAR VESSEL. APPLgcATloN FILED MAR. 20. |911.

Patented'Feb. 25, 1919.

y c. DAVIS.

WAR vessel. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20| I9l7.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CLELAND DAVIS, 0F THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

WAR VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application filed March 20, 1917. Serial No. 156,177.

To all fr0/tom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLELAND Davis, of the United States Navy, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highwood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in War Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The gun has been preeminent in warfare since gunpowder was invented and up to the present time no radical change has been made in the method of utilizing the force of gunpowder. The first conception of the gun was a hollow cylinder closed at one end, the projectile being discharged from the other and the gun recoiling to the rear with a velocity proportionate to the masses of the gun itself and the discharged projectile. The recoil of the gun necessitated means for absorbing the energy created and thisplaced certain limitations on the use of large guns which required that they be mounted in fixed emplacements on land and on comparatively large vessels at sea. This in turn placed limitations on the guns effective range so that it could not be used unless the target came within that range. Therefore vessels built to carry heavy guns, typilied by the battleship are also provided with armor as protection against similar guns to the lire of which they must 'be subjected in order themselves to get within range. But since guns firing through the air are not effective below the surface of the water, the underwater body of battleships is not protected against gun fire. Therefore, if it be possible, the best way of attacking battleships by gunfire is to direct the tire against theunderwater body.

The invention of the non recoil gun makes it possible for a small high speed water borne craft to attack a battleship in this manner. In other words it affords a means 0f carrying large caliber guns directly to the enemy ship and discharging the guns with their muzzles against the bottom, with all that that implies.

By employing a small craft of the character described, carrying a single large gun, a very large saving in the expense of construction, operation and maintenance of the offensive unit, as per weight and caliberof the gun, may be secured. Thus with a large number of small craft of the character referred to, a larger number of guns could be effectually used with a much less tonnage than with a large battleship; and while these craft might not have any great radius of movement, they might be effectively used in groups sailing from diii'erent ports, or might be transported by a mother ship and launched therefrom when nearing the enemy.

As a further important factor, while it requires a period of three years more or less to construct a battleship or a battle cruiser, large numbers of these small craft, each carrying one or more non-recoil guns suspended from the bottom thereof, might be constructed in greatly less time, and thus a large and eifective fleet for coast defense might be. quickly provided.

Furthermore, the old ty e of recoil gun, with its mount, recoil cyllninders, and the complicated breech mechanism would cost vastlyY more than the single continuous tube of the non recoil gun, such as would be used with such craft.

As a further advantage in a fleet of boats of this class a single shot, no matter how large, could only put out of commission one boat at a time; whereas, a single shot might put out of commission a great battleship or battle cruiser.

Such craft could be controlled by a very small crew, ordinarily a single man only would suffice.

My invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a small craft, constructed according to my invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arows; and

Fig. 4c is a detail, showing the combined ribs for the boat and supporting brackets for the gun.

Like reference symbols refer to similar parts throughout these several views.

The vessel is provided with suitable deck plating 1, which is preferably secured on the outside of t-he ribs 2, which ribs are secured together at the upper end as at 3 to form beams for the deck 4, and are pro vided at their lower ends with semi-circular collars 5, secured together by the bolts G to infold and support the gun tube 7. The gun tube 7 is preferably provided with thin closed caps 8 and 8a at each end thereof to prevent the leakage of water into the gun tube, and these caps should preferably be tapered, as shown. They should be made of light metal or other material which should be perforated respectively by the projectile 9 and the counter-weight 10.

The boat is provided with a conning tower 11, having glass panes 12, through which the pilot can look clearly in various directions, which conning tower is normally closed by the swinging hatch plate 13. The boat is driven by a suitable internal coinbustion engine 14, receiving its air through the inner pipe 15, and exhausting through the outer pipe 16, which two pipes are preferably concentrically disposed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the upper end of these pipes is preferably curved rearward, as shown at 17, so as to prevent the influx of spray in a head sea.

18 represents a propeller driven by the engine 17 and 19, the rudder, which can be governed by any suitable steering arrangement, controlled by the hand wheel 20. The engine may be controlled by the levers 21, operated by the pilot seated on the chair 22.

The boat is preferably provided with a :forward tapered chamber 23, or false bow, which would be crushed in should the boat strike the hull of the enemy vessel, and serve as a buffer to lessen the shock of collision and prevent damage to the main hull of the boat. This false bow would also serve as a cutwater, and tend to decrease the resistance of the water on the bow of the boat while underway.

The propelling charge 2st may be ignited by the electric primer 25, operated by electricity from the battery 26, controlled by the switch 27, which is conveniently located near the pilots seat 22.

It will be noted that the gun tube 7 forms in effect the keel of the boat, and serves as a longitudinal girder to support and strengthen the entire structure, while the supports of the gun tube serve as ribs to strengthen the sides of the boat.

The gun tube is of generally similar character to that described and claimed in my various prior nonrecoil gun Patents, No. 1,108,714, granted August 25, 19141, and entitled Aeroplane gun and No. 1,108,716,

granted August 25, 1914, and entitled Apparatus for firing projectiles from aircraft, except that no breech mechanism is required, as in the latter patent just referred to, the gun being loaded before the boat starts on her hostile trip; and after the gun is tired, the boat may be returned either to the home port, or to the mother ship, for a further charge.

In re-loading, it will be necessary to have the gun clear of the water, have a new projectile, propelling charge, and counterweight put in, a new primer inserted, and then have fresh caps put on the end of the gun tube, and the gun is ready for use again.

Owing to the fact that there is no recoil, there will be no tendency of they gun tube to move longitudinally when the gun is fired, so that no provision at all is needed to take up the recoil of the gun. Moreover insomuch as the gun is intended to be fired at very close range, and at those parts of the vessel intact which are rarely protected with armor, it will not be necessary to have any `very high initial velocity, or high propelling pressure in the powder chamber; and, therefore, a comparatively light gun tube may be used with a very large caliber gun. In this way, it will be possible to have a very large caliber gun carried by a comparatively small boat; and I have calculated that it will be feasible to use a boat drawing 15 feet more or less of water to carry a 1J: inch gun, and have a very high speed.

Of course, it will be feasible to construct a vessel firing more than a single submerged non-recoil gun, having these guns arranged in the manner of main and bilge keels; but in practice it would ordinarily be preferable to provide a boat having a single gun tube used as a main keel for same.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure b v Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A self propelled marine vessel provided with aI hull, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming a part of the stit't'ening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

2. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming a part of the stifi'ening structure of said hull, the said tube 'being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out Water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

3. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming the keel thereof, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

4. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming the keel thereof, the said tube being adapted to` discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

5. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull,- and with a false bow forming a buffer attachment collapsible on striking the hull of the enemys vessel, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming a part of the stiffening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

6. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and with a false bow forming a buffer attachment collapsible on striking the hull of the enemys vessel, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming a part of the stilfening structure of said hull, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the endsof said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

7. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and with a false bow forming a buffer attachment collapsible on striking the hull of the enemys vessel, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and forming the keel thereof, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

S. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, and with a false bow forming a buffer attachment collapsible on striking the hull of the enemys vessel, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube secured to and formingthe keel thereof, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

9. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stitfening said hull and projecting beneath the same, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming a part of the stifl'ening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

1 10. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stifening said hull and projecting beneath the same, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming a part of the stifening structure of said hull, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

11. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stiffening said hull and projecting beneath the salue, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs, and forming the keel thereof with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

12. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stifl'ening s aid hull and projecting beneath the same, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming the keel thereof, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tubebeing closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out Water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for liring said gun when desired, substantially as described.

13. A self propelled marine vessel provided .with a hull, ribs stifl'ening said hull and projecting beneath the saine, said ribs being also flanged inward at their upper ends to form beams for the upper deck, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming a part of the stilening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

14. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stifening said hull and projecting beneath the same, said ribs being also flanged inward at their upper ends to form beams for the upper deck, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming a part of the stiffening structure of said hull, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

15. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull, ribs stilening said hull and projecting beneath the same, said ribs being also flanged inward at their upper ends to form beams for the upper deck, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming the keel thereof, with means for liring said gun when desired, substantially as described.

16. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a hull,ribs stiffening said hull and projecting beneath the same, said ribs being also flanged inward at their upper ends to form beams for the upper deck, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried by the lower ends of said ribs and forming the keel thereof, the said tube being adapted to discharge a projectile in one direction and a counterweight in the opposite direction, the ends of said tube being closed with thin perforable caps adapted to keep out water but to permit the passage of the projectile and the counterweight therethrough, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

17. A self propelled marine vessel. provided with a deep and narrow hull and an upper deck, ribs stifl'ening said hull and flanged inward to formsupporting beams for said deck, said ribs being also formed with lower semicircular loops, and a non recoil gun in the forni of a tube carried in said loops and forming a part of the stiening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

18. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a deep and narrow hull, and an upper deck, ribs stilfening said hull and flanged inward to form supporting beams for said deck, said ribs also formed with lower semicircular loops, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried in said loops and forming the keel of said vessel, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

19. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a deep and narrow hull and an upper deck, with a collapsible false bow projecting in front of said hull and forming a buffer therefor when striking the target, ribs stiffening said hull and flanged in ward to form supporting beams for said deck, said ribs being also formed with lower semicircular loops, and a non recoil gun in the form of a tube carried in said loops and forming a part of the stilfening structure of said hull, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

20. A self propelled marine vessel provided with a deep and narrow hull and an upper deck, with a collapsible false bow projecting in front of said hull and forming a bulfer therefor when striking the target, ribs stiffening said hull and flanged inward to form supporting beams for said deck, said ribs being also formed with lower semicircular loops, and a non recoil gun in the forni of a tube carried in said loops and forming the keel of said vessel, with means for firing said gun when desired, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I al'lix my signature.

CLELAND DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

